Aircraft engine systems, such as those used in commercial aircraft, utilize multiple sensors to check engine properties during operation. The sensors transmit corresponding sensor readings to a signal processor/controller that interprets the sensor signal and determines how to respond. The signal processors/controllers are often located remote from the engine in which the sensors are located, and the sensor signals are transmitted over lengthy signal wires to reach the signal processor/controller.
In order to reduce weight and costs of the aircraft, the signals of analog sensors are multiplexed together at the engine itself and converted to digital signals. By multiplexing the signals together, only a single signal wire is required to carry the sensor signals from multiple sensors to the signal processor/controller. The multiplexing is performed by a multiplexor located in local proximity to the sensors.
In some engines, sensor readings are required to be time correlated with each other. In such a case, the signal processor/controller needs simultaneous information from each sensor. Due to the nature of multiplexing, however, a multiplexed signal alternates between each of the sensor signals that have been multiplexed together, such that the signal processor/controller only receives a single sensor signal value at any given time. As a result, time correlated sensor signals are not transmitted over multiplexed sensor transmissions lines.